Stuby was created by William Rondon and Chad Townsend with the help of USF’s Student Innovation Incubator. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

With the help of USF’s Student Innovation Incubator (SII), two students were able to create an app that aids fellow students in finding study partners. Their creation, Stuby, is set to launch today.

William Rondon, a sophomore majoring in industrial engineering, created Stuby to increase the productivity of study groups.

“You are able to pick the people so there is no awkwardness, which makes for a great study connection,” Rondon said. 

Stuby is an app that allows USF students to connect with each other for studying purposes through a system that resembles Tinder’s swiping selection process. 

“It (Stuby) matches people who have the same major as you and your strengths and weaknesses,” Rondon said.

The creation of the app was brainstormed because of the extensive hours alone Rondon spent in the library. He said he’d rather work in a group as it helps him stay focused.

“I’m always in the library at the most random hours from 10 p.m to 3 a.m,” Rondon said. “At those times, I wish I had a study partner, but my friends are either sleeping or not in the same courses or major.” 

Chad Townsend, a sophomore majoring in computer science, mapped out ideas alongside Rondon to complete the technical aspects of the app.

“We’ve known each other since we pledged together in Kappa Sigma last year,” Townsend said. “He asked me because he needed someone to make it (Stuby) — and I was able to.”

Rondon said he included the Tinder swiping aspect to make it more interactive and customizable.

“It creates the ability to pick your study partner and not meet up with a random person,” Rondon said.

Rondon said Stuby will include a point system that can be gained the more a student interacts with the app and creates study groups. Student gear, gift cards and other prizes could be won with the cumulative points earned.

According to Rondon, he said people would enjoy the feature because of apps such as HQ and Pocket Points.

“Another studying app was recently released as well, but they don’t have the point system so that is something that differentiates us from the rest,” Rondon said.  

Rondon and Townsend were able to create the app through the SII which, allowed them to have a mentor, an office space and business classes to properly learn how to start a company.

According to USF’s website, the SII is a “student driven, university supported business incubator that turn students’ business ideas into reality through access to professional mentors, collaborative office spaces, and community corporate partners.”

“I was able to go to CEO workshops and meet with local entrepreneurs in Tampa that run companies,” Rondon said.

SII allowed Rondon and Townsend to bring on interns, grow a team and figure out the missing links such as the marketing

“We were even able to bring on some computer science majors from grad school for data analysis,” Rondon said.

Rondon and Townsend presented their app to One Million Cubs, The Tampa Bay, Innovation Showcase and USF’s Engineering Expo. Townsend said the process was never ending, but he enjoyed it nevertheless.

“If you asked us six month ago, we wouldn’t have imagined we would be where we are now,” Townsend said. “We push to make it as perfect as possible.”

Rondon and Townsend plan to develop Stuby at USF and in the fall, they hope it will be in six universities. 

“As long as people want to study, this app will always be useful," Townsend said. "Classes are only getting harder,”